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What are Dentures and How Are They Made?

Dentures are a type of dental prosthetic that is worn to enhance your smile and replace missing teeth. Your natural teeth may have fallen out due to periodontal disease or trauma, or you might have lost some or all of your teeth because of severe decay. In some cases, existing decayed or loose teeth will need to be completely removed prior to having a denture plate made. With technicians on site, having dentures made can be easy, quick and provide you with a lasting, beautiful smile. Dental technology has come a long way, so dentures look more realistic than ever.

What are Partial or Full Dentures?

There are two types of appliances: full or partial dentures. Partial dentures are only used when there are several teeth missing rather than an entire arch of teeth missing. Partial dentures are worn similarly to an orthodontic retainer, but they are designed to look natural and replace only the areas that are missing teeth. Full dentures are ideal for patients who are fully missing one or both arches of their natural teeth. The denture can be worn alone or with some type of adhesive, like a gel or strip. Some patients want a more secure-fitting appliance and opt for implant-supported dentures. Implant-supported dentures require implant surgery first, which will then be used to snap the specially-made appliance into place. Both partial and full dentures can last for anywhere from five years to seven years with proper maintenance and daily care. If your denture cracks, breaks or has a tooth fall out, the plate can be repaired rather than replaced if it is still relatively new.

Why Would You Need to Have Dentures?

You’ll need or even want dentures if you’re missing many or all of your natural teeth. Unfortunately, when you’re missing teeth, you may feel uncomfortable about the way that your smile looks. You may avoid smiling altogether or you may be hesitant to meet or see people, especially those you haven’t seen in a while. Missing teeth can also make you look older than you are, especially if you are missing a lot of your natural teeth. Dentures are comfortable to wear and can be customized for a perfect daily fit.

How are Dentures Made?

Dentures are typically made out of acrylic resin to provide a natural, comfortable fit. Most appliances have a base of metal, which helps to support the overall structure of the denture. The teeth of the denture are typically made out of durable resin plastic, which provides an incredibly strong biting surface when eating or chewing. The denture is made in a dental laboratory by highly trained and skilled dental lab technicians. These dental techs work rigorously to create each denture so that it matches the patients’ existing smile.

To create a denture, your dentist will take an impression of your mouth. The impression is sent to one of these local dental laboratories to be worked on by a technician. Prior to the impression being sent out, a tooth color match is taken and put with the impression. This ensures that your new denture plate matches your existing smile and doesn’t look out-of-place. Due to the high-quality materials used to make a denture, it can last for up to seven years.

Once the denture is made, you’ll come back into the office to have the bite and fit fully adjusted. The dentist files down and smooths out any ridges or areas that are hitting your gums and mouth. It is not uncommon to have to come in several times to have a perfect-fitting denture. Dentures may need to be adjusted or fully replaced later on if you either gain or lose weight. Dentures should always be comfortable and not painful to wear, but it can take months to get used to wearing a full set of dentures if you’ve never worn the appliance before.

How to Maintain Your New Dentures

To prolong the life of your denture, you need to take good care of it. This involves removing the denture from your mouth nightly to brush and soak it in a specially-formulated denture solution. The denture solution clears away any bacteria and plaque, making the denture safer and more hygienic to wear. Cleaning your denture is also important in preventing the likelihood of having bad breath during the day. Even if you are wearing a full set of dentures, you should still schedule regular dental appointments to have the appliance checked, repaired or adjusted as well as to check the health of your gums. It is not uncommon for denture wearers to eventually suffer bone loss in the jaw area, which can have an impact on the way that the appliance sits. If eventually, you decide you want your denture secured by implants, you can schedule a consultation to be considered for surgery.

Dentures are durable prosthetic appliances that can totally transform your smile. If you’re missing a lot of teeth or have had all of your natural teeth fall out or removed, the appliance works to fill in the mouth and create a more youthful appearance. If you are interested in having a new set of dentures made for you and are living in Syosset, Long Island, consider calling us here at Shine Dental so that we can further assist in scheduling an appointment for you. At Shine Dental, we offer an on-site lab, same day service and high-quality dentures that fit comfortably and look completely natural.